1. When should I have my septic tank pumped?

The best time to pump your septic tank is after the road limits come off in the spring (late May or June) and all the way into November. Generally, the best time is mid-summer to early fall.
It’s important to keep the bacteria action in your tank in the winter time because this heats your tank and will prevent it from freezing.

2. How often should I have my tank pumped?

The MPCA recommends pumping or maintaining your tank every three years. This time can flex according to the size of the household or business.

3. Should I cover my septic tank for the winter with hay or straw?

In most cases, the septic tank is fine without being covered. However, if the top of your tank is less than three feet underground and there is no snow cover, it is advisable to cover your tank. The deeper your tank is in the ground, the safer you are.

4. My alarm is going off for my tank. What should I do?

Try these steps:
1. Check the circuit breakers for your sewer pump to see that it hasn’t tripped.
2. Check the power supply at the pump by unplugging the pump and plugging something in such as a blow dryer to see if there is power.
3. Unplug the float switch and plug the pump into the power source directly and see if the pump is pumping the water out.
4. Call us for service. Issues could be items such as a bad float, a bad pump, or a blocked or frozen line. We’ll detect the problem and make the necessary septic system repairs and replacements.
If the pump is hard wired in, we will be unable to service it and you will need to contact the person or company who installed the pump. We are only able to service and replace pumps that plug into an outlet and are not hard wired.

5. Do I have to dig up my tank or can you pump it through the pipe?

The MPCA recommends pumping through the manhole cover or removing a section of cover to pump your septic tank properly. We need to be able to see into the tank as we are pumping it in order to remove all the solids and build up.
Pumping through the pipe could leave solids in your tank, which could float into your drain field and cause a blockage also not cleaning the tank properly will give you a false impression that the tank has been pumped, when in fact, much debris is still in there.

6. Should I put additives in my septic tank?

Your tank should get enough bacteria by normal use, although the chemicals used in a household today do cause havoc with your septic tank. If you choose to add anything, you should only add live bacteria or bacteria with enzymes.

7. Why do I have toilet paper in my sewer in the basement?

You have a sewer blockage either in the house or between the house and the city sewer. Call us for service, we’ll remove the blockage safely and properly.

8. Is it safe to flush products that are advertised as “flushable” such as wipes and tampons?

Absolutely not! The only thing that should be flushed down a sewer line is toilet paper. Anything else does not break down at a fast enough rate and is putting the sewer line at risk for plugging up, especially if there is a root problem in the line.

9. What causes roots to grow into my sewer line?

Roots are attracted toward the water. When there is water in a sewer line, depending on what the sewer line is constructed of and its age, roots can make their way through the line. Eventually, the sewer line will have to be replaced or relined.

Some people choose to just have the line cabled or augered annually for preventative maintenance instead of spending the money to replace the line at a higher expense later. Others choose to eliminate trees that have caused sewer problems. However it is not uncommon to continue experiencing root problems and blockages in the line, the tree is gone but the roots are not.

In cases where there is a root problem in the sewer line, it is extremely important that only toilet paper is flushed down the line. Even then toilet paper can get hung up on roots. Midway Sewer Service can come and clean most of the roots out and we guarantee our work for 90 days against roots.

10. Should I put chemicals down my drain to try to open it?

Chemicals may work on a very close blockage like in the trap. Some chemicals heat up the pipe and may cause damage. Calling us to clean your sewer line will clean it entirely and keep the line open for a longer time.

11. Should I have my sewer line televised?

Normally we televise only a troublesome line blocking more than usual to find the issue and location of the problem.
If your line is plugged and cannot be opened televising it is not possible as the camera cannot see anything under water.
If there is a house trap on your sewer line, the camera will not go down the sewer. Once the house trap is removed the line can then be televised.

12. What kind of pumps do you carry?

We carry three styles of pumps:
Sump Pump – Removes ground water from around your house.
Effluent Pump – Used on mound systems to pump water from a chamber adjacent to your septic tank to the drainage field.
Sewage Pump – Pumps the actual sewage tank or lift station then sends it to a city sewer.

13. How long will it take for service?

All our customers are important to us and we try to get to every one of them within a reasonable time frame. Depending on what time of day you call, we may be able to get there the same day.
For a septic pump, we usually get there the same day. If possible please allow a one day notice.

14. What are the hours of operation?

Business Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm (regular rates apply)
Midway Sewer Service is available 24/7 for Emergency Services.
Emergency rates: After 4pm on weekdays, weekends, and all major holidays. Please call for Emergency Services.

15. What are your rates?

Sewer & drain line cleaning – $3/ft 50 foot minimum ($150 minimum)
High-pressure water jetting – $4/ft 50 foot minimum ($200 minimum)
Televised Sewer Inspection – $200 (covers 100 feet) copy of inspection included either USB flash drive or DVD
Septic pumping – $200 for up to 2,000 gallons in the surrounding area for residential customers (price will increase if over 2,000 gallons)
Commercial pumping – please call for a rate as it varies with size/condition of the tank and what is being pumped. (shop pits, grease traps etc)
Additional charges:
After hours fees – flat rate $75 additional after 4pm during the weekdays, Saturday & Sunday, and all major holidays.
Milage – $1.50/mile for out of area calls
Call for more detailed rates.

16. Do you charge or bill? What forms of payment do you accept?

We do not charge or send bills to residential or new commercial customers, therefore we need payment when work is complete.
We accept most forms of payment: cash, check, money order, debit card, Visa, Discover and Mastercard.

17. Do you guarantee your work?

With our work you get the Midway Sewer Service guarantee with our sewer work against tree roots for 6 months.
If the sewer backs up during that 6 month period we will run the line again at no charge. If we pull back anything other than roots such as tampons, wipes, condoms, etc, there will be a charge for the service. We cannot guarantee against undesirable waste items being flushed down the line, or if there is a problem with the line such as a dip or a shift in the line.

18. Why should I call Midway Sewer for assistance?

Midway Sewer Service has been in business since 1977 and is family owned and operated.
This is all we do and we do it well! We answer our phones personally 24/7 with real people, our own staff. Midway Sewer Service invites you to call.

For Emergency Services. please call and we will respond promptly. For email submissions through our Contact Form, allow for up to 24 hours for our reply – on holidays and weekends, always call for quick service.